i am excited becuase i get my TI back this weekend, its been a few months since i last got to use it (10 or 11 Jun was last time i used it i believe). i found a new home for it at the beach across the street from my house. i can't actually see it but its pretty hidden and it is a perfect sandy cut out with a path leading about 15 feet into the trees about 20 feet from the water at high tide.

i have reason to believe that the water can in fact reach the area (extreme high tide) i am planning to park the kayak at least a couple times a year. there are 3 trees that are like 6" thick young pine trees (i know pine trees are not that strong) conveniently in a triangular formation. i am planing to tie 3 pieces of line/rope (after measuring to ensure it does not have too much slack) to these 3 trees and put carabiner clips at the ends and then i plan to just clip the clips to the front seat side handles and one at the front of the boat.

i hope this provides enough protection if an extreme high tide comes in and the boat is sitting on 2" of water (waves going in and out). i'm not as concerned with theft but i am concerned that it will be quick to secure and unsecure and will actually be secure if the worst happens and the water comes up that high and tries to pull the TI into the ocean. any thoughts? i will try and provide some pics for reference this coming long weekend

just went out on my first real trip here in okinawa. we went out last weekend bout an hour before dark last sunday for about 30 mins just to test that everything still works and nothing was damaged in shipment.

went about 9 miles in around 3 hours. check out the map. i had brought our snorkel gear with us and had intended on anchoring up to the popular dive/ snorkel reef, but it was very very very (did i mention very) over crowded and didn't feel right since everyone was starting at us as we approached.

btw it was a little freaky cuz the water gets a couple hundred feet when we go out from the shallows (it just drops off real quick) and when rounding the cape (maeda point is the name) the currents were strong and it was very deep.

we had a huge typhoon this past sunday and it was around 150kts wind. some aftermath photos.

having air suspension on your car can really come in handy ^ ^ ^

i've got some crazy videos of waves crashing over the bridge infront of our home but not sure how is best to get them on this site yet.

crazy story about the TI as well. it is about 20 feet further up the beach in the aftermath pics above then it was when i left it before the storm. apparently an old fisherman who keeps his boat next to mine went down in the middle of the typhoon and retied mine up cuz it was about to get destroyed. my wife wrote a nice thank you note in japanese and we put it near where he could see it. i owe that man!!!

since i moved here i have been keeping the TI on the small kayak cart (plugged into the back holes behind the rear seat) and on the beach cradle thing (more front middle area). this was the only way i could get it up the previous (pre typhoon samba) sand birm ledge thing on my own, but now that its smooth sand all the way i may just keep it back on the beach cradle thing and propped up in the back by my old kayak like i had in annapolis at my previous home.

@Nohuhu: the hobie salesman in annapolis always said it was pretty safe as long as it was supported in 2 spots evenly distrubuted.

@Oatesy: yeah he sort of just wrapped it up like a mummy in the front and back and then tied it to the only 2 stumps remaining.

i had cleared out a path through that lush jungle that was previously all around where the kayak is now at and it was difficult even with a machette but i guess sand burried all the folliage and roots + the wind and waves knocked down all the small trees and just swept them away. best news is that i now have a completely smooth sandy ramp all the way to the water and no more steep slope to contend with but i almost lost the TI in the process... phewww